


Every mile reminds me I'm never alone

by bertie



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-02
Updated: 2013-04-02
Packaged: 2017-12-07 07:38:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/745972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bertie/pseuds/bertie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is running away; Mason is just what he needs to fix his car and his wounded heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> lots of love to ice_hot_13 for helping me out with the ending of this fic because it was kicking my butt until she gave me some pointers to fix it.

“You’re not from around here are you?”

Alex turned to find the clearest set of blue eyes he’d ever seen shadowed by a mop of curly brown hair. A little smudge of grease on the other man’s cheek made Alex’s knees go weak.

“ _Non,_ I am— _euh_ —passing through,” Alex responded, feeling his cheeks go pink not from the blazing sun but the crooked grin the man gave him.

“Where are you coming from?” He asked, shoving the rag he held into his back pocket.

“Montréal,” Alex said a little shyly, fiddling with his car keys.

A wide, toothy grin made Alex’s stomach knot up. “That’s a long way away. Where are you headed?”

Alex swallowed and turned his keys over again. “I-I am not sure.”

As if Alex had not said anything, the man stuck his hand out. “I’m Mason. I can fix your car, if you need?”

Shaking Mason’s hand, Alex smiled tentatively. “Alex. I would appreciate that.”

Mason grinned and whistled toward the large bay. Another man came jogging out. “We’ll roll it in and take a look. You can wait at the diner just across the street if you’d like.”

Food was very appealing, but Mason, arms covered with grease and back glistening with sweat, was more so. “I will stay and watch for a while.”

Mason nodded at that. He and his buddy rolled Alex’s car into the bay and then Alex’s mind was completely disinterested in the stupid car. Mason was little and full of energy. As he worked, he would sing along with the radio and sway his hips or bob his head. He occasionally chomped on a piece of gum; blowing big pink bubbles that popped and would stick to his nose. Alex wanted to go over and pick the gum off before kissing Mason, pressed up against the car tasting of bubblegum. But then Mason would laugh at something his coworker said and lean back into the car, and Alex’s attention was drawn instantly to the tight pull of those jeans of Mason’s backside.

Finally, Alex couldn’t take any more and he stood. “I am going to the diner.”

Mason peeked out over the hood and smiled. “Sure thing. Once I figure out what’s going wrong, I’ll come get you. Tell them we sent you and you might get a piece of pie on the house.”

Alex could hardly stand to walk away from Mason’s exuberance, but he would definitely do something he would regret if he didn’t leave. He was grateful for the coldness of the diner and the delicious meal he received. He drained three glasses of iced tea and finished off his entire sandwich. He did receive a piece of pie on the house, which he savored as he watched out the window as Mason rounded the car a few times. Alex lingered in the diner, reading a newspaper and sipping from a cup of coffee, until the bell above the door jangled and Mason came in. He was sweaty and covered in grease, curls sticking up in every direction, but he was smiling as the waitress brought him a glass of iced tea. He kissed her cheek, dropping coins in the tip jar even as she scolded him. He sauntered—it was the only way Alex could describe the way he walked—over to Alex’s table and smiled at him.

“Can I sit with you?” He asked with cheeks flushed.

Alex nodded. “Of course.”

After Mason settled, legs stretched out under the table, his dirty boots beside Alex’s new sneakers—they were a last minute purchase before he left Montréal—he motioned to the garage. “I’m still not too sure what went wrong, but if you’re willing to stay for a day or so, I can definitely fix it. It’s nothing serious, maybe a leaky hose or something, but it’ll take a little longer than I have daylight today. The bed and breakfast down the street is very nice and I’m sure they’ll put you up for free.”

“ _Non,_ I can pay,” Alex assured him. “Take as long as you need. I am in no hurry.”

Mason grinned. “Great. Your car will be running better than before after this, I promise.”

Alex couldn’t help but smile, and he saw Mason’s ears turn pink. Mason sat forward a bit in the booth and put his hands in his lap.

“Tell me about you,” he prodded gently, tilting his head just so. Alex was hooked.

“ _Euh—_ there is not much to tell,” Alex said, looking away.

“Why are you leaving Montréal, then?” Mason asked.

Alex looked at Mason, big blue eyes full of genuine interest and a hint of concern. He explained. “I am running away from my family and someone I thought was special to me.”

Mason bit his lip. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No,” Alex reached for Mason as he started to stand. “It is…fine. I am not ashamed.”

Mason stilled before sliding back into the booth and Alex motioned for the waitress to refill their drinks. Then he told Mason everything. He entertained the little spark in Mason’s eyes when he mentioned his previous lover—a rough-and-tumble French-Canadian man that didn’t enjoy tenderness the way Alex did—for only a moment before disregarding it. He appreciated the sympathetic little noise Mason made when he relived the day his family discovered his not-so-little secret, but found that it didn’t hurt so bad when his foot bumped Mason’s and they both laughed. They talked until the sun was setting and the last dregs of orange light were cast over their table.

“I’ll take you down to the bed and breakfast, if you’d like?”

“I would,” Alex replied easily, leaving the money to cover his bill on the table and holding the door for Mason.

They retrieved Alex’s things from his car and put them in the back of Mason’s truck, a dusty, blue thing that rattled in an endearing way. Mason talked his ear off as they drove the short distance, about the town and where he grew up and how he’d always wanted to be a hockey player. Alex just smiled and listened, letting the wind hit him in the face and the warmth of the evening air soothe him. They carried Alex’s bags up to his room; a quaint country space painted yellow with white and blue linens and whitewashed furniture.

“We get to the garage at seven-thirty and open at eight. Come down anytime,” Mason offered, smiling in a way that made Alex’s chest tight and knees a little shaky.

Alex just nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Alex.”

Mason left, and Alex felt incredibly lonely. But the loneliness was tinged with the excitement of seeing Mason the next day. He changed and prepared for bed with his belly turning over at the thought of those crystal blue eyes and dirty face with that million-watt smile. Alex slept peacefully for the first time in weeks, void of any dreams but a contentedness that allowed him to relax.

The morning was less stressful than any preceding it and Alex almost forgot why he was there in the first place. He dressed and walked the distance from the bed and breakfast to the garage. Mason greeted him with a huge smile at the second open bay, perched on his tool box eating a fried egg sandwich. Alex wanted to push between Mason’s legs and kiss him, taste breakfast on his tongue and feel the strong muscles no doubt hidden under his t-shirt.

“I wasn’t sure when you were going to come, but I got you a sandwich from the diner, too. I don’t know how you feel about egg, bacon, and cheese, but—”

“ _Merci beaucoup,_ ” Alex cut him off a little eagerly, taking the sandwich wrapped in parchment paper from Mason.

They ate in companionable silence until Mason finished and stood to start working. Alex watched him lift the hood and gather his tools and find a piece of gum to pop in his mouth. He ate while he watched Mason work, so sure of everything he did.

“Have you lived here your whole life?” Alex asked, licking the pad of each finger.

“No,” Mason answered from under the hood of Alex’s car. “I lived about eighteen kilometers outside of Calgary when I was a kid. I moved out here after college because it was a little town and,” he paused for a long moment, “a chance to start over.”

Alex chewed thoughtfully. “Why did you want a new start?”

Mason straightened and wiped his hands with a bandana—Alex thought the blue matched his eyes perfectly. “I lived a lie back in Cochrane and I didn’t want to hurt my parents anymore than I already had.”

Alex didn’t say anything more, allowing Mason his privacy. They changed the subject and Alex felt proud when he made Mason laugh so hard he had to sit down on a crate. They passed the time like that, telling jokes and old stories. Alex ventured across the road for sandwiches for lunch, and Mason found a couple of beers in the refrigerator. They ate on the hood of Alex’s car, watching the people inside the diner. It was difficult not to close the small distance between them and kiss Mason, but Alex forced himself to instead put most of his remaining sandwich in his mouth. He chewed mournfully but enjoyed the view of Mason’s backside as he hopped down off the car and bent to fix his boot’s laces.

The rest of the day passed slow and mostly quiet.

“Okay, I think I might have fixed it,” Mason cried excitedly.

Alex looked up from his book to see Mason leaping over discarded tools to climb behind the wheel. He stood and leaned into the passenger window, watching Mason crank the engine. It sputtered pathetically before there was nothing with each flick of the key. Mason fell back against the seat and made an indignant little noise that Alex found incredibly adorable.

“It is alright,” he reassured Mason. “I am in no hurry to leave.”

Mason perked up a little at that. “I promise I can fix it. I have a few other ideas as to what it could be. Just give me time and it’ll run like new.”

Alex just laughed and stood up, stretching and leaning against his car to watch the sun dip lower in the sky. He was craving one of the greasy steaks from the diner and some of the best fries he’d ever eaten.

“Would you like to get dinner?” Alex asked, not turning to face Mason.

“I suppose. If you’re hungry,” Mason responded as he climbed from the car.

“I am.” Alex turned and nodded at the diner. “Come.”

Mason followed obediently, and Alex held the door for him when they reached the building. He didn’t notice the way the older waitress smiled at Mason when they entered and the way Mason ducked his head slightly. He led Mason to a table and allowed him to sit first. He did these things without thinking, but everyone else noticed.

\---

The third day of Alex’s stay, he was content to lie in bed for a few extra hours. He thought of how it would feel to wake up with Mason curled up beside him, warm and sleepy and languid under the covers. It was an intoxicating idea, and Alex was almost drooling with the thought of being able to kiss those full lips and taste the lingering sugar from the tea Mason loved so much. His shower lasted longer than usual and he was dangerously close to losing his hot water, but he didn’t mind so much when he finally dressed and headed for the garage.

Mason was already working, leant against the open hood polishing something. He straightened quickly though when Alex said his name.

“Hi,” he replied, his smile bright and a little relieved. “I didn’t know when you were coming down.”

“I slept a bit later than intended,” Alex explained, enjoying the way Mason’s hair looked in the sunlight. “I was going to get a coffee at the diner. Would you like anything?”

“An iced tea, if you don’t mind,” he answered, looking at Alex through his lashes. Alex felt his chest grow tight and his knees go weak.

“Of course,” he answered quickly, smiling before he turned away.

He sat for a couple minutes at the diner, eating toast and drinking his coffee. He watched Mason work from the cool diner, a better distance as to not give into temptation. As he was paying, he asked for an iced tea for Mason and was fully prepared to hand over the money for it. But the waitress, Margaret was her name, refused to take it so he stuck the bill and coins in the tip jar. He pushed the door open with his hip, a to-go coffee in one hand and Mason’s tea in the other, and headed back across the street.

Alex sat on an overturned crate, reading some and drinking his coffee and talking to Mason as he worked. They passed the time talking or not saying anything at all. Mason was diligent and would occasionally talk himself through any difficulties he was having. Alex found it all increasingly precious and hard to ignore.

After a few hours of talking and endless glasses of iced tea that Alex was all too happy to retrieve, Alex decided to explore the little town.

“Take my truck,” Mason suggested, tossing Alex the keys.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked nervously.

“Yeah, it’s fine. I don’t have anywhere to be today, just working here. I’ll see you later,” Mason assured him, giving Alex that crooked little smile that made his heart race.

“Thank you.” Mason nodded at Alex, and Alex enjoyed the creakiness of the vehicle as he climbed in.

\---

“You really need to get over yourself.”

Mason jumped and turned to find Kevin behind him, leveling him with a disbelieving gaze.

“What if I had a chance?” Mason said, looking over to watch the dust clear. “He mentioned having a boyfriend in Montréal.”

Kevin sighed and threw a rag at Mason. “If you think you have a chance, stop staring at him like a puppy and kiss him al-fucking-ready.”

Mason just shook his head and bent to retrieve the rag. “He probably can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Hey,” Kevin said gently, coming up to Mason’s side. “Do you really like him?”

Ringing the rag in his hands, Mason looked down at the engine in front of him. “He makes me feel…I don’t know. I’ve never felt this way before. There isn’t a word for it.”

Kevin rubbed Mason’s back, squeezed his shoulder. “If you like him so much, then he’s got to be positively wild about you.”

Mason smiled tightly and elbowed Kevin in the ribs. “Don’t be a dick.”

“What? I’m just trying to help you out, man.” Kevin backed away, hands raised.

“Shut up. Go back to work.” Mason threw the rag at Kevin’s face, but he snatched it out of the air. Kevin stuck his tongue out at him. “You’re a child.”

Mason was sure he’d fixed the car, only until it started and immediately stalled again, refusing to start for even a moment after that. He was frustrated and tired but glad to see Alex when he pulled up hours later.

“You don’t look good,” Alex said as he handed the keys back. “Do you feel alright?”

Mason wiped his forehead and grimaced. Before he could respond, Alex took his hand.

“It’s past lunch time. Will you eat with me?”

Mason just nodded and followed Alex across the street to the diner. After they had ordered, Mason was already draining his glass of iced tea, and Alex looked on concerned. He had barely lifted his hand for the waitress before she was bringing two more glasses. Once Mason finished half of his second glass, he was looking better and acted a little more like himself.

They talked and talked and even talked with their mouths full of food. It wasn’t until the sun was dipping lower that they realized how long they had been talking. Alex paid even when Mason protested vehemently, setting his credit card on the counter and elbowing Mason as he signed the slip.

“You didn’t have to pay, Alex. Let me give you some money,” Mason insisted as he chased Alex across the road.

“Absolutely not,” Alex said, refusing to take the bill Mason thrust at him. He stuck his hands deep into his pockets.

Mason pouted, standing on the yellow lines of the almost deserted street.

\---

Alex didn’t know what came over him, but he grinned and stepped up to kiss Mason, a hand on the back of his neck. Mason tensed momentarily, and Alex was terrified that he would push him away. But it was seconds later that Mason wilted against Alex’s chest, fingers fisted in the soft t-shirt he was wearing. They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Alex tilted Mason’s chin up, his tongue seeking out the wet heat of Mason’s mouth. Mason made this soft little sound into Alex’s mouth, and Alex swore his knees almost buckled completely.

“This is okay, _oui?_ ” Alex asked breathlessly, kissing the corner of Mason’s mouth with his hand still cupping Mason’s jaw.

“Yes, yes,” Mason panted, pulling Alex back in for another kiss.

They kissed for a moment longer until Alex pulled away only to backtrack across the road, bringing Mason along with him until they were safely on the dirt plot of the garage. Mason was grinning and giggling, and Alex couldn’t help but kiss that smile.

“Stay with me tonight,” Mason suggested, fingers carding through the hair at Alex’s nape.

“ _Oui,_ I will,” Alex said as he leaned in to kiss the flush on Mason’s cheekbones.

They moved all of Alex’s things from the bed and breakfast to Mason’s house; a little cabin tucked a mile or two down the road from the garage. It was homey and Alex loved it instantly. He could hardly keep from kissing Mason or touching him as they got ready for bed, and he enjoyed the smell of Mason’s sheets. Almost like one of his dreams, Mason curled up against Alex’s chest, tucked close and so warm. Alex kissed him on the forehead, breathing in the clean smell of soap from Mason’s shower and almost missed the little smudges of grease. But he knew they would be there tomorrow when they returned to the garage, and this time Alex could creep up behind Mason and hold him and kiss him freely. It was a delightful thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a continuation of Mason and Alex's life together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if this chapter is particularly awful then just ignore it and tell yourself that it's just a one-chapter fic

Four months later, Alex’s car was fixed, but then it had been fixed since the fourth day of his stay in the little town. He was still there, sleeping in Mason’s bed and making Mason iced tea just the way he liked it after he came home from work. Alex worked in the general store, two doors down from the garage, and enjoyed meeting the people that came in every day. His and Mason’s relationship was talk of the town for the first few weeks, but then it dwindled and everything was normal. Alex established himself and had no desire to leave.

Alex never contacted his family and didn’t want to. He was happier without them. Mason told Alex that he left because he’d tried so hard to seem interested in women that he got a girl pregnant his sophomore year of college and was then ostracized when someone found him with a boy months later. Alex just kissed Mason and told him it was only important considering it brought them together, but that it was unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

They didn’t sleep together until their seventh month as a couple. Mason was scared, but Alex showed him exactly how sex with a man could far surpass that with a teenage girl. He thoroughly enjoyed Mason’s breathy little cries and the way he said Alex’s name as if it was the only word he could remember. Afterward, Mason curled against Alex’s side, head resting over Alex’s heart and listening to it slow.

“Wow,” he said, fingers curling against Alex’s side with the aftershocks of his third orgasm of the night. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to walk tomorrow.”

Alex laughed and rolled Mason onto his back, leaning over him and kissing him until he made those nice sounds of his. “No need for work tomorrow,” he said, running the pads of his fingers down Mason’s chest and abdomen.

“Sounds good to me,” Mason agreed, guiding Alex in for another kiss.

\---

“I want a baby so badly, Kevin. You don’t understand,” Mason whined one day, sitting on Kevin’s toolbox.

It had been three years since Alex had asked Mason to marry him, five since Alex’s car broke down outside the garage.

“Too much information,” Kevin remarked, turning his back to Mason.

“It’s not like we can _make_ one, Kevin—not that we haven’t been trying—but I don’t know if Alex wants any kids.”

“If you want a kid so bad, then talk to Alex. I’m sure he won’t get mad at you.  The man worships the ground you walk on, Mase.”

Mason scrunched his nose, something Alex found absolutely precious. He hopped down off the toolbox and pulled his phone out, sending Alex a text to meet him at home in ten minutes. “I’m going home early, Kevin. Don’t break anything.”

“Yeah, whatever. Go…have fun with Alex and don’t tell me about it tomorrow,” Kevin called back.

Mason was waiting for Alex when he got home, sprawled on the bed in nothing at all. He enjoyed the way Alex stopped in his tracks, eyes going wide and jaw slack. He smiled, shy and welcoming, and was thrilled when Alex immediately began stripping out of his clothes. They’re lovemaking was playful and eager, but Alex never failed in making Mason feel absolutely adored.

“I know this isn’t the best time, but,” Mason paused, still catching his breath and enjoying the way Alex was playing with his fingers. “How do you feel about having a baby?”

Alex didn’t miss a beat before he kissed Mason’s hair line and responded. “I would love to have a baby with you.”

“Really?” Mason asked, sitting up quickly to look down at Alex. “You mean it?”

Alex grinned. “ _Oui,_ I mean it.”

Mason kissed Alex firmly, making eager little sounds and wriggling in Alex’s arms. Alex rolled him onto his back and settled between his legs, pressing their hips together and making Mason whimper.

“There is no way for us to make a child, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Alex purred, pressing soft kisses to Mason’s collarbone and up to his jaw. He grinned against Mason’s ear, kissing the shell. “ _Je t’aime._ ”

Mason shivered, tangling his fingers in Alex’s dark hair. He gave a quiet moan and wrapped his legs around Alex’s waist, holding tight to the man he loved. There was a slight coolness on Mason’s hip and he made a soft noise when he realized it was Alex’s ring. He wore his ring on a chain around his neck as his job wasn’t conducive to jewelry, but Alex was religious about wearing his every day.

Alex leaned in and kissed Mason, his tongue warm as it begged entrance to Mason’s mouth. A well aimed thrust had Mason gasping, and Alex’s tongue ran across the jagged tops of his teeth. Mason arched and made quiet little noises into Alex’s mouth. He pulled away only to breath, crying out and holding tight to Alex’s shoulders. His fingernails dug into Alex’s back, leaving angry red marks and making Alex give a sharp whimper.

“Alex, Alex,” Mason panted, holding onto anything—Alex’s hair, shoulders, upper arms—in an attempt to ground himself.

“Yes, my darling?” Alex purred, kissing Mason softly on the corner of his mouth.

Mason’s back arched almost violently and his fingers tightened to the point of pain in Alex’s hair. “ _Please,_ ” he practically wailed.

Alex smiled against Mason’s lips and nibbled his way down to Mason’s throat, leaving a love bite there.

“Come for me,” Alex whispered, catching Mason’s earlobe between his teeth.

Mason whimpered, holding onto Alex’s broad shoulders as he came with his husband’s name on his lips. Alex followed soon after, kissing Mason’s jaw and temple and fingers tightening on slender hips. They settled on the bed, Alex curled over top of Mason as the younger man calmed.

“You’ll be a great father,” Alex said, stroking Mason’s hair out of his face and kissing his forehead. He let his fingers trail down to draw patterns on Mason’s stomach before spreading them and flattening his palm.

Mason’s breath caught in his throat and he touched Alex’s hand. “I wish I wasn’t a man. I want it to only be ours.”

“Hush,” Alex soothed him. “No matter what, the child will still be ours and that is all that matters.”

Mason let his eyes fall away and he squeezed Alex’s hand. Alex leaned down to kiss Mason’s cheek, his hand turning over to hold onto Mason’s.

“Don’t fret,” Alex said soft and calming and allowing Mason a reprieve. “Things will fall into place easier if you just allow them the chance.”

Mason turned over and curled against Alex’s chest, delighting in the way Alex’s arms automatically encircled him. “Thank you.”

“There is no need to thank me, darling. Sleep now,” Alex urged, kissing Mason’s hair.

Mason tucked his head below Alex’s chin, enjoying the warmth of the covers that Alex pulled up over them and the solidness of Alex beside him. There was little else he could have wanted in that moment. 


End file.
